Even though you don't want to have your job search strategy rest solely on approaching recruiters, many job seekers inadvertently shoot themselves in the head because they don't know how to effectively approach recruiters.

Many people don't even understand what a recruiter does and doesn't do, or more specifically - how they get paid. It definitely differs from country to country, but predominantly the following is true:

Recruiters are - not - agents for candidates; they are agents for clients.

Or alternatively:

Recruiters don't find jobs for people; they find people for jobs.

Approaching a recruiter and telling them you want to discuss "how we can work together", telling them you'd like to discuss having them represent you; telling them you're trying to choose someone to represent you; presenting them with the opportunity to represent you, are all approaches that will expedite your listening to a dial tone or having your email deleted.

The only real way you are going to get any recruiters' attention is if - based on timing - you happen to align with the requirements of a position they are trying to fill. There is about as much chance of that happening as getting struck by lightening. If you don’t align with the requirements of a position they are trying to fill, then you are simply going to be perceived as someone who is about to waste the recruiter’s time - time they can't afford to waste. Ouch that hurts. Hey - just ask yourself, when doing whatever it is that you do for a living - which is more productive - wasting time talking to an unsolicited call from someone trying to sell you something you don't need, or focusing on doing what you are paid to do?

Reality check #1: Recruiters are some of the busiest people on the planet. Good ones are also some of the hardest working 24X7 dedicated people you will ever meet. Many recruiters regularly work 12-hour days 6 days a week or more. Why? Again, because timing is everything on the candidate side as well as on the opportunity side, and time kills all deals. It is also a bandwidth issue in that - the faster a recruiter can fill a search - the more searches they can do in a year - the more income they generate from - clients - that pay them (i.e., not candidates) to conduct searches.

My phone rings at least once every 10 minutes. Many recruiters don't even answer the phone if it isn't a scheduled call. My executive assistant used to yell at me - "Stop answering your phone. Let me do that." Sounds kind of strange why an executive recruiter wouldn't answer their phone right? Well it isn't. Why? Because, they'd never get anything done, if they had a 15-minute conversation with every unsolicited candidate who called to discuss their job search campaign every 10 minutes. It is just an unfortunate reality that many unsolicited candidates never receive a return phone call or an email acknowledging a resume submission or attempt at communication with a recruiter. Don't take it personally.

Reality check #2: Most of us are busy right? Ever hear an executive complain about the number of voicemails they get, or the number of emails they receive? A recruiter's life revolves around the phone and email. I've never met an executive who really had to deal with the volume of voicemail and email recruiters have to deal with.

Want to increase your chances of connecting with a recruiter? Make it easy for them to communicate with you!

Send them an email; don't just leave them a voicemail. Why? Emails are infinitely easier to respond to than a voicemail. If a recruiter calls you, they risk that you might actually answer the phone - when the recruiter simply wants to respond with a quick message, and then the recruiter gets sucked into an unplanned - conversation.

I’m not saying don't call a recruiter. Most definitely have a 30-Second Elevator Pitch when you do. This way you can leave them a crisp voicemail as a back up to your email, and tell them you are doing so in the voicemail (don't forget to leave your email address as part of the message).

When you send an email, have the body of the email -briefly- (key word) state the purpose for reaching out to the recruiter and attach your -pin sharp- resume. Don't tell your life story in the body text of the email. Don't cut and paste your resume into the body text of the email. Don't give an -executive summary- in the body text of the email. Don't attach additional documents like bio's, PowerPoint presentations, articles, and other unsolicited information that a recruiter doesn't have the time to read. Attach your resume – period.

Here is where having a personal Internet presence can help you as well. State in your email, “In addition to my attached resume, if you’d like to know a little more about me just Google me.” That is an extremely powerful statement.

There is also -never- any reason to send a recruiter an email and not attach your resume if you aren't already in dialog.

Reality check #3: Recruiters can end up seeing hundreds of resumes a day. Did I mention your resume should be "pin sharp"? Did I mention you should always attach a resume even in a follow up email to an unresponsive recruiter? Even if a recruiter took the time to respond to your email or voicemail there is still a very good chance they have not actually seen/read let alone - saved - your resume.

When a recruiter does give you the time of day, take a second to acknowledge their busy reality, acknowledge the fact you are - ambushing them - with an unscheduled call if that's the case, and then get to the point. Give them your 30-Second Elevator Pitc